Tube-making method and apparatus



iJune 16, 1931. H. L. YOUNG TUBE MAKING METHOD ND APPARATUS 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 N mwN @Nk Filed Sept. l, 1928 June 16, 1931. H. l.. YOUNG I TUBE MAKING METHOD AND APPARATUS 9 sheets-sheet 2 June 16, 1931. H. 1 YOUNG TUBE MAKING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed SeptI l, 1928 9 Sheets--Sheei'I 3 l June 16, 1931. H. L. YOUNG TUBE MAKING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Sept. l. 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 `lune 16, i931. H. L.. vYOUNG TUBE MAKING METHOD AND APPARATUS 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept.

9 Sheets-'Sheet 6 June 16, 1931- H. t.. YoNG TUBE MAKING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed sept.

June 16, 1931. H. L. YOUNG i 1,810,586

TUBE MAKING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Sept. l, 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 H. L. YOUNG 1,810,586

TUBE MAKING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Sept. l, 1928 9 Sheets-Shea?l 8 June 16, 1931.

f June 16; 1931.

H. L. YQUNG TUBE MAKING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Sept. l, 1928 9 Sheets-She'et 9 Patented klune r1.6, 193

HARVEY I.. YOUNG, or AKRON, OHIO, VassrsNort To Terran. I' New YORK, N. Y., A oonronarren or New soepeler-ivr COMPANY, or

Yoan Y TUBE-MAKNG METHOD AND tPPARAZ-FHSk Application led September 1. 1928'. Serial No. 303,4?2.

This invention relates tothe art of making inner tubes for pneumatic tires, and especially to improved procedure and apparatus for making inner tubes from warm plastic sheet '1 material such as a rubber composition as the sameis delivered ina continuous strip from a calender.y

The invention is i-n some oi its features an limprovement upon myV earlier invention described and claimed in my patent application iiled January 8, 1926, Serial No. 80,027, which has matured into Patent No. 1,800,332, April 14.-, 1931,. and its chief Objects are to avoid Wrinkles in tlieblanks ofsheet material from which the tubes are made; to provide for accurate positioiiingwof the .blanksy or sheets upon a conveyor so lthat they may be fed accurately to associatedtube-forming mechanism; and in general, to provide largely automatic apparatus for the economical manufacture of inner tubes, and to avoid the accumulation of waste material. Other objects willbe manifest as the specilicationv proceeds. Y Y

Of the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus einbodying and adapted to carry out my invention in its preferred form, part being broken away and` in section. Y

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the apparatus shownr in Fig. 1, parts being broken away and in section.

F ig. 3 is a section on lineof Fig. 2. yFig. t is a side elevation,

mechanism. Y

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation, partly in section, showing mechanism for concurrently driving two sheet-conveyors and means for acerit ends of the sheet-conveyors, and cuton a larger scale,y i of the sheet-feeding, trimming, and severing ting mechanism associated therewith, during the severing of blanks from a continuous sheet of material.4 c l Fig. 9 is a side'elevation of asheet cutter, a cutting` bar adaptedto cooperatetlierewith,"y and a Huid-pressure Operated cylinder formanipulating the cutter.

Fig. 10 is a sectionon line 10-10 of Fig. 2 showiiiv' means for actuating said fluidpi'essure cylinder at timed intervals.

Fig. 11 is a detail side elevati on; of the cutting bar and associated parts.

Fig. 12 is lan end elevation of the cutting bar showing mechanism for manipulating the saine. v

Fig. '13 is a side elevation partly in section of mechanism for periodically indexing azi a turret adapted to support tube-building drums. c

Fig. 1li, is a side elevation of one of the tube-building drums and mechanism for moving the same into and out of Operative associat'ion with one oiLl tlie'sheet-conveyors.

"Jil

F ig. 15 is a section on line 15%15 of Fig. 14. Y

Referring to Fig. 1y of the drawings, 20 is al three roll rubber-workingcalender of usual type which is adapted to produce a continuous strip of plastic rubber, such as the strip 21, from a bank of rubber stock 22 fed into the bight of two of its rolls. At the delivery side of the calender is a short conthe coolingdrum 24 drives the conveyor28. The. cooling drums24a25 are cooled by fluid circulated therein through pipingy 31, and suitably positioned guide rollers 32, 33, and

84 are providedfor directing the strip 21 around the cooling drums so as 'to obtain maximumcontact therewith. Near the top of thek framework 26 are spaced-apart bracket arms 35, 35 in which Ving the latter. A sprocket chain 30 fromVV use are journaled a pair of parallel rollers 36, 37 of which the latter is driven. The rollers 36, 37 are adapted to support the strip 2l as it is fed from the cooling drum 25, the strip fallingl in a reserve or storage loop 38 between said rollers, and supporting a iioating roller 39 in said loop. The arrangement provides conveniently for storing a variable reserve of stock between apparatus for continuously delivering said stock and apparatus for intermittently utilizing the same.

A sprocket chain 40 from the driveircooling drum 24 drives a variable speed device 4l of known construction, and the driven shaft 42 of said device is'connected by a sprocket chain 43 (Fig. 2) with a cam shaft 44 journaled vin a suitable framework 45 behind the framework 26. The cam shaft 44 carries a plurality of cams which control the. operation of various strip-manip ulating instrumentalities and the drums upon which the strips, severed to suitable lengths, are Wrapped in the manufacture of endless tubes such as inner tubes for pneumatic tires.

rlhe strip-manipulating instrumentalities include means for feeding the strip intermittently, means for removing excess stock from the lateral margins of the strip to give it proper width and to position it upon the strip-feeding` means, means for transversely severing` the strip to provide lengths suitable for individual tubes, and means for manipulating the strip-feeding means to advance the leading end of the continuous strip past the strip-severing means. rlhe aforesaid instrumentalities are mounted upon a framework 45 positioned in front of the framework 45 and in alignment with the framework 26;

The strip-feeding means comprises a pair of intermittently driven endless conveyor belts 47, 48 which in their normal strip-feeding and strip-severing` positions have their upper, stock-supporting reaches longitudinally spaced from each other and aligned in the same plane, as indicated by the broken line position ofthe conveyor 47 in Fig. 7 and their full-line. positions shown in Fig. 8. The conveyor 47 is adapted to be manipulated at determinate intervals duringthe operation of the apparatus, to position' its Ystrip-delivery end over rand above the strip-receivingend of the conveyor' 48, to carry the leading end of the continuous strip into position to be fed onto the conveyor 43, after each serving operation, the latter operation being effected in the gap between the two conveyors while their upper reaches are in horizontal alignment and closely adjacent each other.

The conveyor 47 is supported at three points upon rollers 49, 50, 5l of which the roller 49 is mounted upon ashaft 52 journaled in the framework 46 and intermittently driven by mechanism presently to be deremesa scribed, and the roller 50 is journaled in the ends of a pair of pivoted arms 53, 53 which are adapted to carry the delivery end of the conveyor over and above the receiving end of the conveyor 48 as aforementioned. The roller 5l which serves as a belt tightener and permits the delivery end of the conveyor to be manipulated as described is journaled in the free ends of a pair of arms 55, 55 mounted upon the respective ends of a shaft 56 journaled in the opposite sides of the framework 46, and one of said arms is formed with an angular extension 35il upon which is suspended a weight 5G, the arrangement 1seing such that the heit 47 always is drawn taut.

For intermittently driving tliebelt 47 in one direction, the shaft Y5:2 is provided with a ysprocket 57 connectedby a sprocket chain 58 with a sprocket 59, Fig. 4, mounted upon a shaft (50 journaled in the framework 45, and th-e sprocket chain 53 also passes over a sprocket 6l mounted upon a shaft journaled in the framework 4G parallel to the shaft and close to the strip-receiving end of the conveyor 47 for purposes presently to be described. Also secured on the shaft GO, behind the sprocket 59, is a ratchet disc 63 the teeth of which are engaged by a plurality of spring-pressed pawls 64, 64 mounted upon a disc or pawl plate (35 which is mounted upon a sleeve 66, Fig. 5, journaled upon the shaft GO. Also mounted upon the sleeve 6G is a gear pinion 67 meshed with gear segment 63 formed on the free end of an oscillating` arm 69 pivoted at 70 upon the framework 45. A pitinan 7l is pivotally secured in a slot in the arm 69 adjustably to connect the latter with the free end of a. lever arm 'i2 which has it-s other end fulcrumed upon a. journal bar 73 parallel to the shaft 44 and mounted in a plurality of ears 74, 74 rising from the floor plate 45a of the framework 45. A cam roller 75 projects laterally from the central portion of the lever arm 72 and entends 'into a cani groove 7G formed in the face of a face cam 77 mounted upon the cam shaft 44.

The arrangement is such that rotation of the cam 77 moves the arm G9 slowly in a direction to feed the conveyor 47 forward through the pinion 57, pawls 64, ratchet 63, sprocket 59, chain 5S and belt roller 49, and taco quickly in a direction to retract the arm while the pawls G4 slide backward over the teeth ofthe ratchet 63 and the sprocket 59 and coin veyor 47 are motionless.

A sprocket 78, Fig. 4, is mounted upon the shaft 52 and connected by a sprocket chain 79 with a sprocket on the shaft of the driven roller 37 at the delivery side of the storage loop 33 of the strip 2i', for feeding the strip forward to the stripmanipulating mecha.-

nism whenever the conveyor 47 of the latter is advanced.

Before the strip 2l from the storage loop passes onto the conveyor' 47 its lateral marterasse ginal portions are trimmed of surplus stock. For this purpose a hardened metal'roll 80 is mounted upon the shaft 62, and cooperating With said roll isa pairof disc knives 81,81 mounted for axial adjustment upon a shaft 82 journaled at its respective ends in the free ends of a pair of arms 88,88 secured to a shaftV 84 journaled in the framevvork46. A; finger e 85 secured to the shaft 84 and extending upwardly therefrom has it's'free end engaged by `one end of a compressionwspring 86 mounted upon a rod 87, the spring having its other end `bearing against a. nut .88v thereon,

f the rod 87 being pivotally secured atene end ing the lever 91 in lined position.

to the free end orf-an arm 89and havingy its other end extending freely through an aperture in the free end of the linger 85. The ar a 89 is mounted upon a shaft90 journaled in ,the framework 46 parallel to the shaftf84.

I"he shaft 90 is adjustable angularly, tovary A guide roller 94 is journalod in the framework 46 above and beside the roll 80, and the strip 21 from the storage loop passes under said rollerV before passing over the roll 80 Wheresurplus stock, suchas the strip 95,is.

severed from its marginal portions by the knives 81, the strip 21 thereafter passing onto the .conveyor 47 and lying in proper position thereon. The knives 81 may be axially adjusted upon their-shaft 82 to provide for limited variation in theposition of the strip 21 upon the conveyor 47,Y and accuracy of aositionino' is obtained b trimming tnest'ri j immediately before it passes `onto saidcon-k For raising the delivery end of the conveyor 47 over and above the receiving end of the conveyor 48, at determinate time intervals Wit-h relation to the feedV of the conveyor 47,l the arms 58 which carry the roller 50 Vare mounted upon a rock shaft 96 which is journaled upon the framework 46 and extends rearwardly through the framework 45, the rock shaft 96 being provided with a down- Wardlyextending rocker arm 97 connected by a pitman 98 with the free end of a lever 99 pivotally mounted upon the journal bar 73. A cam roller 100 projects laterally froman intermediate position on the lever 99 and extends into a cam groove 101 iormed in a face cam102 mounted upon the camshaft n As shown in Fig. 7 vthe cam grove 101 has a uniformly-concentric Zone extending from the line 1/ g/ and '0c-, which zone comprises the major portion of the cam groove and functions to maintain the roller in its lower position and the conveyor l47 in the brokenline positionof Fig. 7 From aci-x to @my the cam groove 101 is volutein form With a gradually increasing radius until the manimum is reached, and an abrupt curve Where it cuts inwardly toy join the concentric portion of. the' groove. rlhis portion of the cam groove controls the gradual rise of the roller 501to the full-line position of Fig. Tand causes'its quickretraction to the broken-line normalv position shown therein.'v

rlfhe conveyor 48 is mounted upon rollers 108,l 104of which theroller 108, at the receive ing end oftheconveyor, is ournaled in a fixed position the framework 46, and the roller 104 is mounted upon a shaft 105 which is journaled in slideblocks, suoli as the slide block'106, adjustably mounted in said framework, the arrangement permitting the conveyorytobe kept taut. f The conveyor 48 is adapted to be driven concurrently with the conveyor 47 to feed the strip 21 across the gap between the said conveyors, then' to be held stationary with the conveyor 47 While the strip is severed, then to start in advance of Aand be driven independently of the conveyor 47 to deliver the severed portion of the strip, then to stop; and remainfstationary luntilgthe mianipulationy of the roller 50 is effected to position the'delivery end of the conveyor 47 over its receiving end', and then to start again With'the conveyor 47 to receive theleading end of the continuousstrip 21. `F or driving the conveyor 48 concurrently With the conveyor 47,

a sprocket 105@L is-mountedfupon the shaft 105 bymeans of a ball clutch 105),1Fig. 8,

ica

and is connected by a sprocket chain 1,07 With n a sprocket k108 mounted upon the intermittently-driven shaft 60 Which also drives the conveyor 47.

For driving the conveyor 48 independently of the conveyor 47 a sprocket chain 109 connects the shaft vvith a sprocket 110 mounted upona'. shaft lllvjournaled inthe frame Work 45, anda ratchet 112 also mounted upon the shaft 11,1 has its teeth engaged by springpressed pavvls l'lfmounted upon a disc or pawlplate 114 which secured upon a sleeve 115` (Fig. 6) journaled upon theshaft 111'; A gear pinion 116 is mounted upon the lsleeve 115 and meshes 'with a geark segment 117 formed' upon the free end of an oscillating arm 118 pivoted at 119 in the framework 45. A pitinan 120 is pivotally secured in 'a slot` les ilo

in the arm118 adj ustably to connect the latter drive the conveyor 48 forward, through the pinion 116, pawls 113, ratchet 112, sprocket 110, sprocket chain 109, and belt roller 104, and then slowly to retract the arm while the pawls 113 slide backward over the teeth of the ratchet 112 and the sprocket 110 and conveyor 48 are stationary. During this forward movement of the conveyor 48 the sprocket chain 107 is stationary since the ball clutch 105'D is arranged to provide' driving mechanism between the shaft 105 and sprocket 10521 only whenthe latter is driven by the sprocket chain 107 moving in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3. This forward movement of the conveyor 48 is completely effected while the conveyor 47 is stationary.

For severing blanks suitable for the manufacture of inner tubes or the like from the continuous strip 21, I provide a cutting bar 125 and a rotary disc knife 126 adaptedto cooperate therewith, said bar and knife being positioned respectively below and above the sheet 21 at the gap normally between the con veyors 47, 48 as shown in Fig. 8. The bar 125 is adapted to be raised to bring it into engagement with the sheet 21 which spans said gap, and the knife 126 is adapted to be reciprocated along the bar, transversely ofv the sheet 21, to sever said strip when moving in either direction. he supports for the knife 126 are somewhat above the knife itself,

Y Ais formed in two separable par and the width of the conveyor 47 is sui'iiciently narrower than the range of travel of the knife to permit the delivery end of the conveyor 47 to be positioned over and above the receiving end of the conveyor 48 and below the knife support, when the knife is positioned at either end of its path. After the severine' operation, one end of the bar 125 is lowered before its other end to efnpect progressive separation of the bar and the strip 21. n

The cutting bar 125 is supported from its end portions upon the upper ends of a pair of vertical push rods 1.27, 128 slidably mounted in guides 129, 129 mounted upon the framework 46, the push rods being pivotally secured to the bar 125, and the pivot pin 130 of the push rod 128 being mounted in a horizontal slot 131 in said bar. The push rod 128 A ts, asshown in Fig. 11, and the lower ends of the push rods 127, 128 are connected with the upper ends of links 132, 132, which are pivotally connected f to respective arms, such as the arm 133, (Fig. 4) mounted upon a rock shaft 134 journaledA in the framework 46.

That end of the bar 125 which includes the slot 131 is formed with an outstanding' lip i 135 adapted to pass over and be engaged by a spring-pressed latch or detent 136, mounted in the framework 46, during the upward movement of the bar 125. The detent 136 is adapted to support the adjacent end of the bar 125 during the downward movement of the push rods 127, 128 at which time the two parts of the latter separate and the upper part thereof remains suspended from the bar, while the downward movement of the push rod 127 imparts an initially inclined position to the bar, as shown, to edect a progressive separatio-n of the bar from the strip 21 after the stripsevering operation. lowermost position of the push rod 127 the angle of the bar 125 is such that the lip 135 is disengaged from the detent 136 which permits that end of the cutting bar 125, and the attached portion of the push rod 128, to drop so that the bar 125 is horizonal in its lower position. Y

For effecting angular movement of the rock shaft 134 at Atimed intervals with relation to the movements of the conveyors 47, 48, a lever 137 is mounted upon the rock shaft and its free end is connected by a pitman 138 with the free end of a lever 139 fulcrumed at its other end upon the journal bar 73. A cam roller 140 projects laterally from the lever 139 and extends into a cam groove 141 formed in a face cam 142 mounted upon the cam shaft 44. The cam groove 141 comprises a relatively long arcuate portion 141a concentric with the shaft 44 in which region the cam maintains the bar 125 in lowered inoperative position, and a relatively short portion 141b of lesser radius in the region of which the cani raises the said bar and holds it elevated.

rihe disc knife 126 which cooperates with the cutting bar 125 for severing the strip 21, is journaled in a forked holder 143 formed with a stem 144 which is slidably mounted for vertical movement in a laterally extending portion 145a of an angular bracket 145. A. set screw 146 is threaded through the wall of the bracket portion 145a and int-o a longitudinal slot 147 formed in the stein 144 to prevent angular movement of the latter. A coinpression spring 148 is mounted upon the stein 144 between the knife holder 143 and the bracket portion 145n to force the knife normally downward toward the cutting bar 125, and a retaining collar 149 is mounted upon the other end of the stem 144 to hold the stem in its bracket. Y

The bracket 145 is mounted for sliding movement upon a pair of parallel supporting rods 150, 150 disposed in a vertical plane above the roller 103 and transversely of the conveyor 48, said rods 150 being mounted with their end portions in respective brackets 151, 151 mounted upon the framework 46.

he brackety 145 is connected to the outer end of the` piston rod 152 of a double acting fluid pressure cylinder 153, the lat-ter seing suitably inounted in horizontal position inthe framework and provided at its opposite ends with fluid inlet and out-let pipes 154, 154, from a valve 155.

The valve 155 (see Fig. 10) comprises a hollow cylinder in which is mounted a re- At the ciprocable piston l156, and the pipes 154 connect with :the cylinder adjacent its respective ends as do inlet pipes 157, 157 from a source of fluid pressure. An exhaust port 158 is forme-:l in the central region oi the Vcylinder 155, and the piston 156 is formed with a longitudinal groove 159 ywhich is so arranged therein as to provide a passage alternatively from either pipe 154 tothe exhaust ,port 158 as the'pi-ston is reciprocated in the-cylinder. The arrangement of the i inlet pipes 157 is such that one inlet'pipe is open and incommunication with one pipe 154, through the cylinder while they other inlet pipe 157 is i closed andthe other vpipe 154 is in communication with ythe exhaust port 15,8,A with the result thatone end of the cylinder 153 is exhausted asits other end is charged. d

-F or reciprocating the piston'156 of the valve 155, the piston rod 160 of said piston extends through the end wall oi' said cylinder and `has a cam rolle-r ,161 journaled in a yoke 162 mounted upon its outer end, which cam roller engages aic'a1n163, rthe pist-on rod 160 is slidably mounted lin a. bracket i 164 mounted upon the framework 45, and a. compression spring 165 is mounted upon the piston rod between the'bracket .164 and the yoke 162 .for normally urging the cani roller 161 into engagement with the cam 163.v The cam 163 is journaled upon a spindle 166 projecting laterally from the yframework 45, and se-` cured tosaid'cam is a sprocket 167 connected by a sprocket chain 168 witha sprocket 169 r mounted upon the cam shatt- 44.V lThe relative size of the sprockets 167, 169 is such that one revolution of the latter drives the y'sprocket 1-67 but half a revolution. The cam v163 is so formed that `during one'half a revolution the piston 156 is at one end oi' the cylinder 155 and at the other end during the other half ot the cams revolution, with the result that theknie 126 makes but one cycle of operation, across the cutting bar 125V and return, while the strip-feeding mechanismfunctions twice, the knife severing the strip 21 when moving` in either direction.

The strips of stocksevered from the con-` tinuous strip 21 are wrapped about respective drums 170, 170 which y'are successively `presented tofthedelivery end of the conveyor 48 to receive the severed strip therefrom, and are rotated lby lfrictional engagement Zwith vsaid Conveyor 48 to wrap the strips upon their 'respective outer surfaces in a plurality of convolutions, 'ieans being provided on each drum tor effecting concurrent axial movement of the drums to cause the strip to lie thereon in a helix so that the margins of the convolutions are olset from Veach other to produce an annular band having marginal portions of diminishing' thickness from the edges.` Y 7 f Each drum 170 comprises a broad annular rim portion 17:1 connected by radial spokes 172, 172 to a hub portion the rim `portion 171-being sectionaland provided'witha Vhinged section 174 adapted to be swung inspindle 175 mounted in the upper end of an i armv 176lpivoted atU 177 in a bracket 178 mounted upona turret or turntable 179. The sp1ndle175 is formed, from its base toward its free end, 15) with a neck 180, an enl larged journalportion 181, a reduced portion 182 formed at its middle with an open-ended, male screw-thread 183 kof two turns, anda further reduced centering` and spring-post portion 184. A helical compression spring .185 is mounted upon the reduced por-" tion-184 of the spindle, between the threaded portion 182 and a flanged bushing 186 slidably mounted upon the outer end portion of .the .spindle and retained and control-ledy as toits position thereon by engagement of its na-nge with an inwardly extendingflange formedlonthe hub 173 of the building drum 170. The hub'173 is formed with an internal screw thread 187 adapted to coact with the thread 183 of the spindle to move the drum ,and the bushing 186 axially on the spindle toward thearm 176, againstthe force cf `the spring 185,-when the drum is rotated in one direction as indicated by the arrow in Fig.

14, and to permit the springto move the f drum axially in the other direction when the drumis reversely rotated. The screw threads are adaptedr to pass out of mesh with each other and 'thus permit further rotation of the drumjwithout substantial axial movement when it approaches the arm 176. An

yannular retaining plate 188, mounted upon the neck ot the spindle and secured to the hub of the drum by screw bolts, is adapted to .abut the journal portion 181 of the spindle 'to stop the reverse axial movement of the drum with the screw threads still meshed. The armsy 176 normally stand in vertical position upon the turntable' 179, respective *i tension springs 189, 189 being providedl for urgingthe armstoward the vertical axis Vof the turret, and each'arm being` formedat its base with afoot portion 190 for limiting its movement in that direction;

The arms 176 areadapted to be Vvdrawn, c'

against the pull of the springs 189, into an outwardly inclined position to causev the drums 170 to bear yieldingly against the deliveryxend of the conveyor 48, Fig. 14) to be driven thereby as theyaresuccessively brought into proper alignment with said conveyor.

For this purpose each arm 176 is provided with a laterally extendingr bracket191 formed with` an yu pstanding finger 192 having a rounded end portion. Said finger is adapted to be engaged by the downwardly-forked end portion of a horizontal arm 193 which is pivotally mounted upon the free ends of a pair of spaced-apart, non-parallel links 194, 195. The link 194 is pivotally mounted upon a bracket 196 extending from the framework 46, and the link 195 is mounted upon the end portion of a rock shaft 197 journaled in said bracket 196 and in the framework 45. rllhe arrangement is such that rocking of the shaft 197 produces rectilinear movement of the arm 193, Vand the non-parallel arrangement of the links 194, 195 is such as to cause a raising and lowering of the forked end of said arm and thus to compensate for the arc through which the finger 192 moves when the arm 176 swings on its pivot 177. rlhe forked end of the arm 193 permits the ngers 192 freely to move laterally into and out of engagement therewith when the turntable is intermittently indexed.

For rocking the shaft 197 in timed sequence with the strip-feeding mechanism, an upwardly extending leverl 198 is mounted on said shaft and formed with a forked end adapted to engage a slide block 199 mounted upon the end portion of pitman .200 between respective coiled springs 201, 202 mounted thereon, the other ends of said springs bearing' against respective collars 203, 204 mounted upon said pitman. The other end of the pitman 200 is connected to the free end of lever 205 fulcrumed upon the journal rod 73 and provided with alaterally-projecting cam roller 206 which extends into a cam groove 207 formed in the face Vof a cam 208 mounted upon the cam shaft 44. The cam groove 207 has a concentric portion 2073'` of relatively great length and radius adapting the cam to hold in an inclined position an arm 176k and through the spring 202 to hold a .drum 170 on the said arm in yielding frictionalV driving engagement with the conveyor 48, and a'concentric portion 2071] of relatively short length and radius adapted to holfl arm 176 in vertical position to permit the finger 192 of said arm to move from the forked end of the arm 193 and another linger to move thereinto, as the turntable is indexed.

The turntable 17 9 is axially journaled upon a vertical stub shaft 209 .rising from, a suitable floor plate 210, and is supported upon a. plurality of rollers 211, 211 journaled in respective brackets 212, 212 secured to the floor and uniformly arranged the periphery of the turntable.

For indexing the turntable periodically at determinate intervals with relation to the strip-feeding mechanism, a coaxial ratchet 213 is secured to the under side of the turn`- table 179 and has its teeth engaged by a spring-pressed pawl 214 (Fig. 2) mounted upon a radial arm 215 journaled upon the stub shaft 209. The arm 215 is oscillated, to rotate the turntable 179 through a determinate angle, by means of a link 216, which connects the free end of said arm with the free end of a lever arm 217 which lever arm has its other end mounted upon a rotatable sleeve 218 journaled upon a vertical post' 219 which is secured to the floor and ceiling. A lever 220 extending from the sleeve 218 has its free end connected by a pitman 221 to the free end of a lever 222v fulcrumed on the journal rod 73 and provided with a laterally-projecting cam roller 223 which extends into a cam groove 224 formed in the face of a. cam 225 mounted upon the cam shaft 44. YThe cam groove 224 includes a concentric ma]l or portion 224g, a relatively short, inwardly-directed portion 224b in which the cam is adapted to move the pitman 221 forward to index the turntable 179 and thus to carry one drum 170 out of alignment with theI conveyor 48 and a succeeding drum into alignment therewith, and a relatively short arcuate, outwardly-directed portion 224c for retracting the pitman 221 and moving other parts of the mechanism to inoperative position, ready for the next operative cycle.

The periphery of the turntable 179 is formed with a plurality of notches 225, 225 corresponding to the various drum mountings, and a spring-pressed detent 226 mounted in a floor bracket 227, yieldingly engages successive notches 225 as the turntable is indexed, to assure accurate positioning of the drums with relation to the strip conveyor 48.

In the operation of the apparatus, unvulcaniZ-ed, plastic rubber stock 22 is fed into the calender 20 in the usual manner, and the strip 21y formed thereby, of greater width than desired for the article to be constructed therefrom, is continuouslyfed from the calender to the cooling drums 24, 25 and then into the storage or reserve loop 38 in a manner well known to the art.

From the storage loop 38 the strip 21 is intermittently drawn forward onto the conveyor 47 first passingthrough the margintrimming device comprising the roll 80 and knives 81 where the strip is trimmed to exact width insuch a manner that the resulting strip is properly positioned laterally of the conveyor 47 so as subsequently to be delivered to a tube-building drum in proper position with relation to the margins thereof.

The strip 21 is fed forward upon the conveyors 47, 48 driven in unison, and onto one of the drums 17 0 while the latter is yieldingly held against the delivery end of the conveyor 48 and frictionally driven thereby, and the axial movement of the drum causes the strip to be disposed in a helix .thereon to provide a laminated structure having marginal portions of .diminishing thickness from the edges due to the stepped relation of the edges of the respective plies. During this stage of operation the conveyors 47, '48 have their upper, strip-conveying reaches aligned in the Vthe laminated structure being built upon said drunnthe feed of the conveyors 47, 48 is stopped and the cutting bar 125 is raised to bring it into contactwith the under side of the strip 2l and the disc knife 126 is propelled longitudinally of thebar to sever a portion from the continuous strip 21. The conveyor 48 is then driven forward independently lof the conveyor 47 to feed the trailing end of the severed strip onto the drinn 170 torcomplete .the rubber structure thereon, the conveyor stopping as soon as ,this is effected. The arm 193 is then actuated to move `the drum-supporting arm 17 6 to its normalvertical position as indicated by the broken'lines of Fig. 14, and the turntable 17 9 is indexed to bring the succeeding arm 176 into position to be engaged by the arm 193, after which the latter is retractedato incline said arm 176 and thereby to force the drum 170 into engagement with theconveyor 48 toreceive strip material 21 therefrom when kthe cycle of operation is repeated.

As soon as a strip is Ysevered from the continuous strip 21 by the knife 126, the cutting bar 125 is lowered'toits inoperative position, one end of .the bar moving downward before the other .to effectprogressiveseparation of the bar and the strip 21 if any of the latter should adhere to the bar, the severed ends of the strip droppingevenly and smoothly 'upon' the closely adjacent port-ions ofthe conveyors 47, 48 wherethe latter pass-'over the respective rollers 50, 103. kr llhe arm '53 isfthen actuated to carrv7 the roller 50, and with it the delivery endo-f the conveyor 47 over and above Ythe ref' ceiving end of the conveyor 48 and closely adjacent thereto,fthe operationA beingeffected in the interval during which the conveyor 48 is driven independently ofthe conveyor 47 to deliver the trailing end of the severed strip to the drum as .aforementionedL The conveyors 47,48 are then-concurrently started to feedvtheleading end of theV continuous strip 21 from the conveyor V47 to the Y conveyor 48 f and therefrom lonto the drum 170, upon which it is wrapped in the rotation of the drum effected by the conveyor, the roller 50 being restored to its normal position, to bring the conveyors 47, 48 intofthe same hori- Zontal plane, during this strip-feeding yop eration. f The conveyors 47, 48 are driven at the same surface speed so that the leading n end of the continuous strip 21 passes smoothly and evenly onto theconveyor ,48 without such formation of wrinkles in the strip as heretofore have been common occurrence in the use of apparatus of this general character. This completes one cycle ofy operation, and the operationsV described may be repeated indefinitely, since the apparatus is automatic in operation and the yonly manual labor required is an operator to supply the calender and operators to perform the successive opband, with the exception of one marginal portion, treated with a suitable dry or liquid adhesion-preventing material.. At the succeeding` ystation a valve stem is mounted in the band'` through the apertured valve"V pad and aperture 174, and the marginal portion of the band, that has been treated withA ther adhesion-preventing material, is folded over onto the middle zone of theband. i it the nent succeeding station the opposite,

untreated margin of the band is folded over and lapped upon the first mentioned margin nd rolled down into adhesive engagement lerations of building tubes kfrom the laminated therewith to form a-compact and impervious circumferential seam. yfit the next succeeding'station the hinged portion 174 of the i drum is unlatched and swung inwardly, the finished tube' is removed, and the hinged portion restored to its normal position so that the drum again is ready for engagement 1' with the conveyor `48. Another station is provided where adhesion-'preventing material may be applied to the drum surface if such is found necessary to prevent the strip 2`1'from adhering thereto, and -where the drum may be rotated backward kso that the retainingrplate'188 abuts the journal portion 181 of the spindlelif such has not already been done incident-ly in the previous operations. The Vapparatus is automatic in its operation and provides meanswhereby the several objects set forth in the statement of objects are attained. Y e c The invention may be modified within the scope of theappended claims, and Ido not Y limit my claims to the enact procedure described or speciiicconstruction shown.k `femm: i, f1 i 1. The method of making inner tubes which comprises feeding a continuous strip ofl tube-formingmaterial,across a gap to a tube-buildingsstation, stopping the feeding of the stock and severing a portion of the l strip therefrom at the gap to provid-e a tubebuilding blank, and thereafter repositioning` the leading end of the residual strip so as to permit it kto bey accurately guided across the gap vrand to the'tube-building-station during Y 1 position iatively close to the tube-buiA Ling st tion assure a proper positioning of the sii it arrives ther-eat.

3. rlube-building apparatus comprising means for feeding successive tube-forming` strips of material to a tube-buil n0' station, and means for presenting tune-building forms in succession at said station in position to receive the respective strips thereon and to be driven by said strip-feeding means, means for feeding a continuous strip onto the `first-mentioned strip-feeding means and ineans 'for severing successive portions therefrom to provide the successive tube-forming strips.

4. Tube-building apparatus deiiiied in claim 3 including means for driving the tivo strip-feeding means and the severing ineens in timed relation.

Tube-building apparatus comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart conveyors for feeding a continuons stripv of matorial from a source of supply to a tube-building stati-on, one of the conveyors being adapted to draw the strips across a gap from the other and the tivo conveyors having t1 nerr snip-conveying reaches normally in substantially the saine plane, and means for raising the delivery end of the delivering conveyor above the receiving conveyor.

Y 6. Tube-building apparatus comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart conveyors for feeding a continuous strip of material from a source of supply to a tube-building station, one of the conveyors being adapted to draw the strips across a gap from the other and the two conveyors having their strip-conveying reaches normally in substantially the saine plane, means for raising the delivery end of the delivering conveyor above the receiving conveyor and severing the continuous strip in the gap between the conveyors.

7. Tube-building apparatus comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart conveyors adapted-to cooperate for feeding a coi'itinuous strip of material, means i between said conveyors for severi a otion from the continuous str'p, and means a.H sociatedwith one of said conveyors and adapted to facilitate niovement'of'the leading end of the residual portion of the continuous strip across said gap.

8. Tube-building apparatus comprising a pair of normally longitudinally spaced-apart conveyors adapted for feeding a continuous strip of material, means cooperating therewith for severing the continuous strip in the ering surplus material from the marginal portions of said strip at the receiving end ot said conveyor means to assure proper positioning of the strip upon said conveyor and to assure proper alignment of the strip with respect to the tube-building form.

l0. rlubc-building apparatus comprising a belt conveyor 'for delivering tube-forming material from a source of supply to a. tubebuildin' station `means for intermittent-l 1 7 driving the same, a turret supporting a plurality of rotatable tube-building forms adapted to bring successive forms into alignment with said conveyor at said station, said forms being alternatively positionable on said turret and means for moving the respective forms relatively of the turret to bring them into association with the discharge end of the conveyor so as to be rotated thereby and to receive tube-building material therefrom.

11. Tube-building apparatus as defined iii claim l() together With means for actuating the form-manipulating means at timed intervals with relation to the intermittent conveyor-driving means.

l2. Tube-building apparatus comprising a conveyor for delivering tube-forming material to atube-forming station, a turretposi` tioned adjacent the delivery end of said conveyor, a plurality of pivoted arms on said turret, tube-building drums journaled upon the free ends of the respective arms, means for indexing the turret to bring successive drums'into alignment with the delivery end of the conveyor, and means for successively inclining the pivoted arms to draw the drums thereon into driving association with the deiiig means and the means for inclining the drum supports in timed relation to the intermittent movement of the conveyor.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23rd day of August, 1928.

HARVEY L. YOUNG. 

